Ryan Andrews Drops The Fat Act
Want To Change Your Life? Ask This Lean Eating Coach How!
Ryan Andrews is a Renaissance kinda guy. He’s in shape. He farms. He hands out food to schoolchildren in Africa and Colorado. He makes a mean Super Shake.
And now, one of Precision Nutrition’s most experienced Lean Eating coaches can add “book author” to his already-heavy resume. He’s just published Drop The Fat Act and Live Lean: Using the Opposites Approach To Change Your Fattitudes (Book Publishing Company, 2012).
I chatted with Ryan about the response to the book, how to change “fat thinking”, and some of his favorite tips for “living lean”.
Download
Download the full interview in MP3 — right-click on the link, then choose “Save as…” to save to your computer before listening.
Here are some excerpts, if you’re short on time.
The F-word
Fat has many negative associations in our culture. But as Ryan argues, we need to get over our fatphobia and simply treat “fatness” as the condition of having more bodyfat than we need or want. Being fat doesn’t mean “being bad”. Being “fat” or “fit” is simply a matter of making “fat” or “fit” choices — choices that we have the power to change.
Who is this Ryan Andrews dude anyway?
Why should you listen to Ryan Andrews? Well, we think he’s pretty smart. But don’t take our word for it. Ryan explains his experience and credentials… as well as the ways in which formal training doesn’t always mesh up with real-life clients’ bodies. (Spoiler alert! Calorie-counting doesn’t work!)
Where to begin?
Choices are great, but often it seems like we have too many of them? How can we know where to start? Well, says Ryan, it’s simple: Know thyself.
If you want to change, he says, start by reviewing your routine. Then, you can either:
- choose a big obstacle to tackle — thus using the 80/20 rule (that 20% of your stuff is consuming 80% of your effort), so by choosing the “worst” and most limiting 20% you’ll make major progress while still only focusing on one or two things; or
- choose a tiny obstacle to tackle — thus making the project seem extremely manageable and preventing feelings of deprivation.
Again, it’s up to you. You’re the boss, and you’re in charge. Just pick one thing at a time.
Our bodies, our machines?
Conventional nutritional science, argues Ryan, doesn’t always address the various factors that significantly effect how we get energy from food. Some factors might surprise you. At the outset of the clip, I continue the discussion of why calorie counting doesn’t work.
Sleep yourself skinny?
How sleep can affect fat loss.
The problem of stress
How stress and other factors can affect fat loss and how we absorb energy from foods.
Pride goeth before a buffet
How being over-confident can trip you up and make you a drag at parties. Ask for help, celebrate your real achievements, and don’t be intimidated by successful people — imitate them! Unlike Lady Gaga, fit people weren’t born this way.
The role of social support and “fat-inducing situations”
“The situations we put ourselves in can be life-altering”, writes Ryan. Our physical and social environment is a crucial part of our health. If you want to be fit, find “fitness-inducing situations”.
And Ryan’s top tip for getting fat? Diet. (Yeah, you read that right.)
The importance of understanding food production
If we know where food comes from, we respect food, says Ryan. “It’s amazing how little I learned about that in all of my schooling.” He suggests we get involved in food production and sharing at all levels — whether that’s helping in a kids’ lunch program, farms & community gardens, or farmer’s market.
Lighten up… literally and figuratively
Ya gotta laugh, says Ryan. It’s so easy to make fat loss into doom-and-gloom. “It’s just helpful to lighten up the whole situation and laugh at our situation, because some of the things we do are just sort of ridiculous.” Fat loss and life change shouldn’t always be a Very Serious Project. Humour helps us stay positive and gives us perspective.
By the way, here’s the Kids in the Hall sketch mentioned:
Purchase a copy of “Drop the Fat Act”
If you’re ready to drop the fat act and “think and live lean”, grab yourself a copy!
- Direct from Book Publishing Company
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
Even more awesome: 50% of all author proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to hunger relief efforts and improving school lunch programs. Buy this book knowing you’re doing a good thing!
Win a free copy of “Drop the Fat Act”
Want to take a chance at winning a copy of Ryan’s book? If so, visit this link and post your top 3 “fit behaviors” and your top 3 “fat behaviors” before Friday March 23rd. Ryan will pick one lucky winner and send him or her a free copy of his book.
Learn more
To learn more about making important improvements to your nutrition and exercise program, check out the following 5-day video courses.
They’re probably better than 90% of the seminars we’ve ever attended on the subjects of exercise and nutrition (and probably better than a few we’ve given ourselves, too).
The best part? They’re totally free.
To check out the free courses, just click one of the links below.
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